I was watching a recent meteor show with a friend and her two children. Since I am very like Daniel Boone, I knew an awesome spot in the Deschutes National Forrest.
As we were lying on our backs watching the shower, which was spectacular by the way, we were talking about constellations and planets and whatnot. At one point a girl about the age of 7 asked if “God controls what we do?”
Her mom’s short answer of “no” is of course correct, God gives us free will to choose to follow him, or not. What makes me keep thinking about the situation is that God does in fact control us.
What I’m looking for here is an open discussion on what “free will” means.
I know that there are things that I can’t do. With gravity, and escape velosities, and terminal velosities ect.I can't do what I want. I know I can’t make up another God and it be real. I can’t fly, or read minds or use telepathy. Unfortunately there are physical limits to our universe. With these limits there is a kind of control being put upon us.
“You cannot serve two masters” is an axiom that puts the concept I’m thinking of into words. Why can’t I? That would be free will. For my atheist friends believing in science (or whatever they believe in) and not in Hell is not going to save them from it.
So what is free will?
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Saturday, April 5, 2008
The role of Elders in the Church.
I am in a weird place. Those who read this will know I am often in a weird place. It’s a place where my high intellect and massive amounts of emotion mix and I come up with odd questions and situations, and even more odd solutions.
Most of this is James’ fault, all of his talk about cultural relevancies, new Church movements and what not.
Let’s hypothetically say I am going to plant a church.
If what I deem to be a culturally relevant Church, (meaning group of believers, not a building) does not resemble what we have long practiced as a congregation in the CoC? More than just not in a Church building. More than deviating from our template of opening song, welcome, 2 songs, prayer and scripture, 2 songs, communion, song, sermon, stand as we sing, announcements. What about what the New Testament defines as Church leadership? What if I couldn’t find Elders or Deacons to work with?
The Biblical definition of Church leadership is quite defined. A man who has children who believe, married to one wife, and has a good reputation. One thing that is usually associated with Elders and Deacons are their age. Do you think that the principals that made a good father and an outstanding member of the community made a good Church leader? That they were a good husband, or they just had a wife? Or was it the fact that they had children? Or that there were no people that had bad things to say about them?
What I’m getting at is, I do not think that having children that are believers make a good leader. I do not think that having a wife that hasn’t divorced you make you a good leader. I do not think having a good reputation makes you a good leader. I do not think being old makes you a good leader. I do believe that having children who follow your beliefs show that you are a good mentor, and teacher. That you are married to one wife shows that you are devoted, and care about others. To have a good public reputation shows that you are honest and have integrity. And for the most part more experience makes you wiser. (Or is it more wise?)
There are plenty of people I know who do not meet the criteria found in books like Timothy, yet posses all of the qualities that would produce the things found there if their situation were different. Our society has changed in many different ways since the New Testament was written. It has changed drastically since the Restoration movement. There is no real push to be married. Much less pressure for reproducing. In our society there is much less public interaction to build public trust. People are living longer, and have a vast advantage in education over past generations, meaning they are wiser younger and can learn to mentor without having children.
I think that these characteristics are what are important. To lead someone else to salvation you should be a good mentor, you should be devoted to the well being of others, you should have integrity, and you should be wise about life in general. I think that our culture has changed to the point were the definitions of Church leaders are outdated.
Do you think that I have the authority to make calls like this? What do you think?
Most of this is James’ fault, all of his talk about cultural relevancies, new Church movements and what not.
Let’s hypothetically say I am going to plant a church.
If what I deem to be a culturally relevant Church, (meaning group of believers, not a building) does not resemble what we have long practiced as a congregation in the CoC? More than just not in a Church building. More than deviating from our template of opening song, welcome, 2 songs, prayer and scripture, 2 songs, communion, song, sermon, stand as we sing, announcements. What about what the New Testament defines as Church leadership? What if I couldn’t find Elders or Deacons to work with?
The Biblical definition of Church leadership is quite defined. A man who has children who believe, married to one wife, and has a good reputation. One thing that is usually associated with Elders and Deacons are their age. Do you think that the principals that made a good father and an outstanding member of the community made a good Church leader? That they were a good husband, or they just had a wife? Or was it the fact that they had children? Or that there were no people that had bad things to say about them?
What I’m getting at is, I do not think that having children that are believers make a good leader. I do not think that having a wife that hasn’t divorced you make you a good leader. I do not think having a good reputation makes you a good leader. I do not think being old makes you a good leader. I do believe that having children who follow your beliefs show that you are a good mentor, and teacher. That you are married to one wife shows that you are devoted, and care about others. To have a good public reputation shows that you are honest and have integrity. And for the most part more experience makes you wiser. (Or is it more wise?)
There are plenty of people I know who do not meet the criteria found in books like Timothy, yet posses all of the qualities that would produce the things found there if their situation were different. Our society has changed in many different ways since the New Testament was written. It has changed drastically since the Restoration movement. There is no real push to be married. Much less pressure for reproducing. In our society there is much less public interaction to build public trust. People are living longer, and have a vast advantage in education over past generations, meaning they are wiser younger and can learn to mentor without having children.
I think that these characteristics are what are important. To lead someone else to salvation you should be a good mentor, you should be devoted to the well being of others, you should have integrity, and you should be wise about life in general. I think that our culture has changed to the point were the definitions of Church leaders are outdated.
Do you think that I have the authority to make calls like this? What do you think?
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